Krakenimages.com / Shutterstock.com
Keeping your teeth healthy should be everyone’s top priority. After all, we only get one set of choppers over the course of our lives.
And yet, many of us damage our teeth in ways we might not even suspect.
Below are some of the top ways you damage your teeth every day.
1. Not drinking enough water goodluz / Shutterstock.com
Saliva can have a high “ick” factor, but it’s important for protecting your teeth as it helps remove debris that otherwise builds up.
To maintain the right amount of saliva, you should be adequately hydrated. That means drinking enough water.
On the website of the Gorman Center for Fine Dentistry in North Oaks, Minnesota, Dr. Steve Gorman:
“Especially in our hot summer months, staying well hydrated is important to keep the right body chemistry in balance. Getting the balance right affects our mouth and dehydration can lead to bad breath, gum problems and tooth decay.”
Drinking more water will also help remove dirt from your teeth.
2. Not properly flossing fizkes / Shutterstock.com
Improper flossing is probably better than not flossing at all. But if you use the floss incorrectly, you cannot get the maximum benefit.
according to dr Rodney L. Allen—a dentist from Parker, Colorado—are among the most common mistakes made when using dental floss:
Flossing after brushing your teeth is not as effective at reducing plaque between your teeth as flossing first. If not cleaning the entire tooth, which is best accomplished by twisting the floss into a “C” shape and sweeping up and down the length of the tooth on all sides. Does not push 2 or 3 millimeters below the gum line, removing extra bacteria become. 3. Drink coffee and juices PHILIPIMAGE / Shutterstock.com
Drinking too much coffee, juice or wine can be bad for your teeth as these liquids are acidic.
Take that morning cup of joe. Research shows that coffee increases the risk of tooth decay because its acidity erodes tooth enamel, which can also lead to increased tooth sensitivity. The situation can get worse if you add cream and sugar to your coffee.
According to Valley Dentists of Belchertown, Massachusetts:
“When its acidity is combined with loss of enamel, more of your yellowish dentin becomes visible. As a result, your teeth can lose their white appearance, which can negatively impact your self-esteem.”
4. Using the wrong brush technique Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com
Unfortunately, improper brushing techniques are all too common.
San Pablo Smiles Family Dentistry in San Pablo, California offers some suggestions for proper tooth brushing, including:
Choose a brush with soft bristles that is gentler on teeth and gums. Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth, which will help you clean the gum line “Teeth” Spend at least two minutes doing thorough work 5. Chew on ice yamasan0708 / Shutterstock.com
Chewing ice cream seems like a harmless — if somewhat irritating — habit. But the truth is, “gulping down the cold stuff will ruin your teeth,” according to Silverado Family Dental in Las Vegas:
“When you chew ice cream, you create a cycle of rapidly cooling and heating your teeth over and over again. This causes your tooth enamel to expand and contract, almost always leading to the formation of microfractures in the surface of your teeth.
Microfractures develop into extended fractures over time. The result can be sensitivity, pain and infection. Tooth enamel can also wear down.
6. Nail biting Krakenimages.com / Shutterstock.com
Not only is nail biting unsanitary, it can also affect your oral health.
like dr Paul J. Condello — a dentist from Oakhurst, New Jersey — told Hackensack Meridian Health:
“Nail biting creates friction between the tooth and nail that can cause your teeth to erode over time, which can later lead to other serious problems like gingivitis. Nail biting can also cause teeth to move, resulting in gaps and misalignment of the upper and lower teeth.”
7. Eat hard or chewy candy shi-olga / Shutterstock.com
Eating hard candies or chewy candies like gummy bears leads to dental problems, according to Smile Design Manhattan in New York.
Candies stay in your mouth for a long time, as does the sugar they contain. It’s also possible to break or chip a tooth with this type of candy.
According to Smile Design Manhattan’s website:
“Soft gummy candies are an equal enemy. Gummy bears and the like are packed full of sugar that sticks to your teeth. If you treat yourself, brush and floss your teeth immediately afterwards.”
8. Grinding teeth 9nong / Shutterstock.com
This is a bad habit that you might not even realize, but your teeth most certainly do.
dr Sonny Kim, a dentist with Advanced Family Dentistry in Weston, Virginia, writes that people who clench or grind their teeth can have a variety of problems, including:
headache jaw pain earache toothache sore facial muscles
According to Kim:
“As the tooth’s surface enamel wears away, dentin is exposed and your teeth can become sensitive to heat and cold. Persistent teeth grinding can lead to excessive wear, cracking, or fractures in the teeth; Misaligned teeth, severe jaw pain, temporomandibular joint disorders, an abnormal bite and possible tooth loss.”
